Characterization of Polymer Vector Systems Based on Partially Hydrolyzed Polyoxazoline for Gene Transfection

In this work, partially hydrolyzed thermoresponsive polyoxazoline was used for complexation with DNA. The resulting polyelectrolyte complex particles were characterized by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering. They showed narrow size distribution and hydrodynamic diameter of 183 ±5 nm at 65 °C. To improve stability of the system at physiological temperature, the particles were coated with cross-linked polymer shell on their surface. A cytotoxicity study indicated lower toxicity of the investigated systems compared to the referent polyethylenimine. In addition, the transfection ability of the resulting vector systems was evaluated by flow cytometry. Transfection efficiencies up to 65 % that of the referent polyethylenimine indicated the potential of the vectors for DNA delivery.